Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 131 /Thursday, July 9, 1998 / Notices 37111

on December 31, 1996, by Consumers

and The Detroit Edison Company

(Detroit Edison), with Morgan Stanley

Capital Group Inc.

The service agreement filed qualifies

for waiver of notice requirements

pursuant to July 30, 1993, order issued

by the Commission.

Consumers requests that such waiver

be granted and that the Service

Agreement be allowed to become

effective June 16, 1998.

Copies of the filed agreement were

served upon the Michigan Public

Service Commission, Detroit Edison and

the transmission customer.

Comment date: July 14, 1998, in

accordance with Standard Paragraph E

at the end of this notice.

21. Washington Water Power Company

[Docket No. ER98–3482–000]

Take notice that on June 24, 1998,

Washington Water Power Company,

tendered for filing with the Federal

Energy Regulatory Commission

pursuant to 18 CFR 35.13, unexecuted

Service Agreements under WWP’s FERC

Electric Tariff First Revised Volume No.

9, with Constellation Power Source,

Inc., and MIECO, Inc.

WWP requests waiver of the prior

notice requirements and that the

unexecuted Service Agreements become

effective July 1, 1998.

Comment date: July 14, 1998, in

accordance with Standard Paragraph E

at the end of this notice.

Standard Paragraph

E. Any person desiring to be heard or

to protest said filing should file a

motion to intervene or protest with the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,

888 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.

20426, in accordance with Rules 211

and 214 of the Commission’s Rules of

Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211

and 18 CFR 385.214). All such motions

or protests should be filed on or before

the comment date. Protests will be

considered by the Commission in

determining the appropriate action to be

taken, but will not serve to make

protestants parties to the proceeding.

Any person wishing to become a party

must file a motion to intervene. Copies

of these filings are on file with the

Commission and are available for public

inspection.

David P. Boergers,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98–18210 Filed 7–8–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket No. ER98–3483–000, et al.]

Rochester Gas and Electric

Corporation, et al. Electric Rate and

Corporate Regulation Filings

June 30, 1998.

Take notice that the following filings

have been made with the Commission:

1. Rochester Gas and Electric

Corporation

[Docket No. ER98–3483–000]

Take notice that on June 25, 1998,

Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation

(RG&E), filed a service agreement

between RG&E and Williams Energy

Services Company (Customer). This

Service Agreement specifies that the

Customer has agreed to the rates, terms

and conditions of RG&E’s Market-Based

Rate Tariff, FERC Electric Rate

Schedule, Original Volume No. 3

(Market Based Power Sales Tariff)

accepted by the Commission in Docket

No. ER97–3553–000 (80 FERC ¶ 61,284)

(1997)).

RG&E requests waiver of the

Commission’s sixty (60) day notice

requirements and an effective date of

June 22, 1998, for and Williams Energy

Services Company Service Agreement.

RG&E has served copies of the filing

on the New York State Public Service

Commission and on the Customer.

Comment date: July 15, 1998, in

accordance with Standard Paragraph E

at the end of this notice.

2. Northern States Power Company

(Minnesota); Northern States Power

Company (Wisconsin)

[Docket No. ER98–2640–001]

Take notice that on June 25, 1998,

Northern States Power Company

(Minnesota) and Northern States Power

Company (Wisconsin) (collectively

referred to as NSP), submitted its

Market-Based Electric Services Tariff in

compliance with the Commission’s June

12, 1998, order in the above-referenced

docket.

Comment date: July 15, 1998, in

accordance with Standard Paragraph E

at the end of this notice.

3. American Electric Power Service

Corporation

[Docket No. ER98–3484–000]

Take notice that on June 25, 1998, the

American Electric Power Service

Corporation (AEPSC), tendered for filing

executed service agreements with

Merchant Energy Group of the

Americas, Inc., Snohomish Public

Utility District, Southern Company

Energy Marketing, L.P., and Southern

Company Services, Inc., as agent for

Alabama Power Company, Georgia

Power Company, Gulf Power Company,

Mississippi Power Company, and

Savannah Electric and Power Company,

under the Wholesale Market Tariff of

the AEP Operating Companies (Power

Sales Tariff). The Power Sales Tariff was

accepted for filing effective October 10,

1997 and has been designated AEP

Operating Companies’ FERC Electric

Tariff, Original Volume No. 5.

AEPSC respectfully requests waiver of

Commission notice requirements and

requests that the service agreements

with Merchant Energy Group of

Americas Inc., become effective May 8,

1998, Snohomish Public Utility District

become effective May 2, 1998, Southern

Company Services, Inc., become

effective May 20, 1998, and Southern

Company Energy Marketing, L.P.,

become effective May 19, 1998.

A copy of the filing was served upon

the Parties and the State Utility

Regulatory Commissions of Indiana,

Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee,

Virginia and West Virginia.

Comment date: July 15, 1998, in

accordance with Standard Paragraph E

at the end of this notice.

4. UtiliCorp United Inc.

[Docket No. ER98–3485–000]

Take notice that on June 25, 1998,

UtiliCorp United Inc. (UtiliCorp), filed

service agreements with VTEC Energy,

Inc., for service under its Non-Firm

Point-to-Point open access service tariff

for its operating divisions, Missouri

Public Service, WestPlains EnergyKansas and WestPlains EnergyColorado.

UtiliCorp requests that the service

agreements become effective on June 25,

1998, in order to comply with the

Commission’s filing requirements.

A copy of this filing has been served

upon the Missouri Public Service

Commission, Kansas Corporation

Commission, Colorado Public Utilities

Commission and VTEC Energy Inc.

Comment date: July 15, 1998, in

accordance with Standard Paragraph E

at the end of this notice.

5. UtiliCorp United Inc.

[Docket No. ER98–3486–000]

Take notice that on June 25, 1998,

UtiliCorp United Inc. (UtiliCorp), filed a

service agreement with Basin Electric

Power Cooperative for service under its

Non-Firm Point-to-Point open access

service tariff for its operating division,

WestPlains Energy-Colorado.
37112 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 131 /Thursday, July 9, 1998 / Notices

1See ‘‘Change in Minimum Oxygen Requirement

for Reformulated Gasoline’’ 62 FR 41047 (July 31,

1997).

UtiliCorp requests that the service

agreement become effective on June 25,

1998, in order to comply with the

Commission’s notice requirements.

A copy of this filing has been served

upon the Colorado Public Utilities

Commission and Basin Electric Power

Cooperative.

Comment date: July 15, 1998, in

accordance with Standard Paragraph E

at the end of this notice.

6. Central Hudson Gas & Electric

Corporation

[Docket No. ER98–3488–000]

Take notice that on June 25, 1998,

Central Hudson Gas & Electric

Corporation (Central Hudson), tendered

for filing a proposed amendment to its

Power Sales Tariff on file in Docket No.

ER97–890 to permit sales to its power

marketing affiliate, Central Hudson

Enterprise Corporation (CHEC). Central

Hudson has also submitted for filing a

Power Sales Agreement with CHEC.

Central Hudson requests waiver of the

Commission’s notice requirements to

permit the amendment to its Power

Sales Tariff and its Power Sales

Agreement to become effective August

1, 1998.

Comment date: July 15, 1998, in

accordance with Standard Paragraph E

at the end of this notice.

Standard Paragraph:

E. Any person desiring to be heard or

to protest said filing should file a

motion to intervene or protest with the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,

888 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.

20426, in accordance with Rules 211

and 214 of the Commission’s Rules of

Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211

and 18 CFR 385.214). All such motions

or protests should be filed on or before

the comment date. Protests will be

considered by the Commission in

determining the appropriate action to be

taken, but will not serve to make

protestants parties to the proceeding.

Any person wishing to become a party

must file a motion to intervene. Copies

of these filings are on file with the

Commission and are available for public

inspection.

David P. Boergers,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98–18205 Filed 7–8–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–6121–8]

Change in Minimum Oxygen Content

Requirement for Reformulated

Gasoline

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: EPA’s reformulated gasoline

(RFG) program contains various

standards for RFG, including an oxygen

content standard. When the RFG

program was implemented, the pergallon minimum standard applicable to

RFG in all covered areas was 1.5% by

weight. In 1997, pursuant to the RFG

regulations, EPA increased this standard

by 0.1% to 1.6% by weight for several

of the RFG covered areas (and for

certain refineries, importers and

blenders) because these areas failed a

series of compliance surveys for oxygen

content in 1996. Certain covered areas

have failed the oxygen compliance

survey series for 1997, and EPA is

increasing the per-gallon minimum

standard applicable to these areas by

0.1%. Since the previous increases

remain in effect, the per-gallon

minimum oxygen requirement in all but

one of these areas failing in 1997 will

increase to 1.7% by weight. This notice

announces the increased standard, and

describes the covered areas and parties

that are subject to the increased

standard. The increased standard will

help ensure that all covered areas

receive the full benefit of the oxygen

content requirement in the RFG

program.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Stuart Romanow, Fuels and Energy

Division, Office of Mobile Sources,

Environmental Protection Agency,

Washington D.C. (6406J) 202–564–9296.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Regulatory Entities

Regulatory categories and entities

potentially affected by this action

include:

Category Examples of affected entities

Industry .... Refiners, importers, oxygenate

blenders of reformulated gasoline.

This table is not intended to be

exhaustive, but rather provides a guide

for readers regarding entities likely to be

affected by this action. This table lists

the types of entities that EPA is now

aware could be potentially affected by

this action. Other types of entities not

listed in the table could also be affected.

To determine whether your entity is

affected by this action, you should

carefully examine the existing

provisions at 40 CFR 80.41. If you have

questions regarding the applicability of

this action to a particular entity, consult

the person listed in the preceding FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.

II. Background

Section 211(k) of the Clean Air Act

requires that EPA establish standards for

reformulated gasoline (RFG) to be used

in specified ozone nonattainment areas

(covered areas). The RFG requirements

contain performance standards for

reductions of emissions from motor

vehicles of ozone forming volatile

organic compounds and toxic

pollutants.

Standards for RFG are contained in 40

CFR 80.41. Refiners and other parties

subject to the standards can choose to

comply on either a per gallon basis or

to comply on average. The standards for

compliance on average (‘‘averaged

standards’’) are numerically more

stringent than the per gallon standards.

The averaged standards for RFG are

contained in § 80.41(b). These averaged

standards include a per-gallon

minimum requirement of 1.5 weight

percent oxygen. This 1.5% per-gallon

minimum oxygen requirement initially

applied to all refineries, importers and

blenders of RFG who elected to comply

with the averaged standard for oxygen.

However, as a result of oxygen survey

series failures in 1996, EPA required

that certain refineries, importers and

blenders comply with a 1.6% minimum,

beginning on September 29, 1997.1 (The

survey process and the consequences of

oxygen survey series failures are

described below.) The per-gallon

minimum requirement is in addition to

the requirement for 2.1 weight percent

oxygen, on average. The average

standard for oxygen must be met by a

refiner or oxygenate blender for all of

the RFG it produced at a refinery or

blending facility, or for RFG imported

by an importer, but these parties are not

required to meet this standard for the

RFG supplied to each covered area

separately.

Any refiner, importer or oxygenate

blender has the option of meeting the

RFG standards on average or per gallon.

If a party is subject to the averaged

standards, then the requirement to

conduct surveys, as specified in § 80.68,

must be satisfied. In these surveys, RFG

samples are collected at retail gasoline